These molten lava cakes are ready in under 30 minutes with only a 15 minute prep time. Easy, delicious and impressive chocolate desserts that can be made ahead of time and frozen for later too. With gluten free, dairy free and sugar free options.EASY - Perfect dessert for novice bakers. Please use oven mitts when handling baked ramekins, since this dessert needs to be served while still warm. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions
7ozsemisweet chocolate chips55% cocoa content, approximately 1 cup + 3 tbsp
4ozunsalted butter1 stick of butter, see DF substitutions in Recipe Notes
¼ tspsea saltor just a pinch, if you don’t like a hint of saltiness in your cakes
1tbspvanilla extract
2.3ozwhite sugarabout ⅓ cup
2whole eggslarge
2egg yolksfrom large eggs
0.7ozAP flouror 2 tbsp, see GF substitutions in Recipe Notes
Extra butter and cocoa powder to dust ramekins
Confectioner’s sugar and berries to serve
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Generously butter four, ½ cup ramekins, and dust them with cocoa powder. Set aside until needed.
Place the butter, chocolate and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl.
Melt the ingredients in the microwave in 30 second increments, while stirring in between. This should take approximately 60 - 90 seconds. You can also melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler.
Stir the sugar and vanilla into the warm butter-chocolate mixture.
Next, add the eggs and yolks and whisk them in well. You should end up with a “gloopy” chocolate batter.
Stir in the flour.
Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Make sure they are no more than ¾ of the way full, since they will rise as they bake. If you're not baking the cakes right away, cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and freeze/refrigerate for later.
Place the ramekins on a baking tray and transfer the tray into the preheated oven. The cakes will take about 11 minutes to bake in metal ramekins. In glass/porcelain ramekins, they may take about 12 minutes. (See Recipe Notes for baking times for frozen cakes).
When the cakes are done, remove them from the oven, and let them rest for about 30 seconds (no more than a minute).
Using a towel/cloth napkin, turn the cakes out onto serving plates (be careful, as the ramekins will be very hot, and may be slippery too). Tap the top of the ramekin with a spoon to loosen the cake, and gently remove the ramekin to reveal the cake underneath. Serve immediately while the cakes are still warm.
Dust the cakes with confectioner's sugar, and serve with raspberries or strawberries.
Notes
DAIRY FREE - use coconut oil, vegan butter or a dairy free margarine instead of butter.GLUTEN FREE - replace the 2 tbsp flour with 1 tbsp cornstarch OR 2 tbsp gluten free flour (1:1 gluten free flour substitute).BAKING TIMES -
Refrigerated chocolate molten cakes -Metal ramekins take about 11 ½ minutes. Refrigerated porcelain ramekins with thicker walls will take about 12 ½ minutes.
Frozen chocolate molten cakes -Metal ramekins take about 12 - 12 ½ minutes. Porcelain ramekins with thicker walls will take about 13 - 13 ½ minutes.